Audio interviews with Billy Dearden and Richie Barker from Mansfield 103.2 (apologies for sound quality - recorded via microphone whilst I was driving home with reception get steadily worse!). Clip here------------
Hard work ahead for Dearden
CHAD
NEW Stags boss Billy Dearden has a gap of almost two weeks to plot how to get Mansfield Town back on track and away from the drop zone.

Monday's controversial 1-0 home defeat to in-form Hartlepool United left Stags in 20th place and only a point away from the bottom two and they now do not play until the Hereford trip on Saturday, 13th January.
In the meantime Dearden will be trying to keeper skipper Richie Barker at the club and hoping to add a player or two during the current transfer window.
"It is probably a good thing we have this break now as I can work on a few things," he said.
"I have seen a few things already which I want to sort out like getting the ball wider earlier.
"I have a big job on here and no one will be grafting harder than me and the players to do it.
"There is no point in heads going down. If we play like we did against Hartlepool until the end of the season then no danger, we'll be okay.
"I do have one or two players in mind and I think there will be funds available if I do decide to bring them in."
With the home game with Chester and Saturday's abandoned game at Accrington to rearrange, Stags at least have two games in hand.
One man convinced Dearden can get them out of the current mire is Hartlepool boss Danny Wilson. He said: "Billy is a very good manager and I think Mansfield will finish the season in mid-table or in the top half.
"He know how to wheel and deal and will do a very good job for them."
The rumours continued this week with reports that League Two rivals Wycombe Wanderers are interested in Giles Coke and Alex John-Baptiste.
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DEARDEN: FUTURE'S BRIGHT FOR STAGS
Evening Post, 02 January 2007
Billy Dearden believes there is reason to be optimistic about Mansfield in 2007, despite losing his first completed game in charge.

The Stags were beaten 1-0 at Field Mill as Andy Monkhouse netted following Jason White's penalty save from Jon Daly.

But boss Dearden (below) was relatively happy with the team's performance and feels Mansfield's fortunes will change for the better.

"I don't think you can complain. We stuck at it as the conditions deteriorated and even after the penalty we had a couple of chances," he said.

"I'm disappointed we didn't get anything because I felt we deserved to but we are playing against the form team and you couldn't ask for more just now with the position we are in.

"If it had been us who'd been on a run, then it could have been a different game but at times I thought we played not too badly.

"We probably had the better chances. Michael Boulding had a great one but he has not hit the goal and he knows that he has to do that.

"You have to get it on target and make the keeper save it, but sometimes when you are down at the bottom it doesn't go for you.

"Hartlepool are the best side in the league at the moment and I thought we gave them a good game. So did Danny Wilson and he doesn't pull any punches."

Pools boss Wilson believed it was a clear penalty that was awarded by referee Ray Lee after Giles Coke tackled Jon Daly in the box.

But Dearden said: "The lads thought it wasn't a penalty, but their lads did. Our lads felt Giles got the ball first.

"Some you get and some you don't. He had one big decision to make and whether he got it right or wrong, I wouldn't like to say."

Mansfield are sliding dangerously close to the League Two drop zone and Dearden is under no illusions as to the size of the task confronting him.

But he said: "There is no use slacking or feeling sorry for ourselves. We have to keep it up and keep working hard.

Speaking after the game Hartlepool United manager Danny Wilson revealed his delight with the latest result.

"The lads are bubbling at the moment," Wilson said. "It was a difficult game today but the lads dug in and deserved the three points. We got a bit of luck and the ball came out to Andy Monkhouse for the goal but we'll take that. I don't think there was any doubt about the penalty as Jon was just about to shoot when he was fouled. How long can the run go on? I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be for a long time because they are showing what good players they are."

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CHAD:
A disappointed Billy Dearden said: "I don't know if it was a penalty or not. My lads say it wasn't but their lads say it was.
"Whatever, it was the major decision of the game.
"What really disappointed me was that my players were congratulating the keeper on saving the penalty instead of following the ball.
"But Hartlepool are the form team in the league at the moment and we gave them a game.
"The conditions deteriorated but we stuck at it and had the better chances.
"I have a big job on here and no one will be grafting harder than me and the players to do it.
"There is no point in heads going down. If we play like we did today until the end of the season then no danger, we'll be okay."
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Evening Post website

Dearden said: "I don't know if it was a penalty or not. My lads say it wasn't but their lads say it was. Whatever, it was the major decision of the game.

"What really disappointed me was my players were congratulating the keeper on saving the penalty instead of following the ball. But Hartlepool are the form team in the league at the moment and we gave them a game.

"The conditions deteriorated but we stuck at it and had the better chances. I have a big job on here and no one will be grafting harder than me and the players to do it.

"There is no point in heads going down. If we play like we did until the end of the season then no danger, we'll be okay."

The result extended Hartlepool's club record-winning streak to nine league games, while the clean sheet means they have now not conceded a goal for 772 minutes.

Hartlepool boss Danny Wilson said: "We got the shade of luck that makes all the difference.

"It was a definite penalty. If you go the ground there in the area you are running the risk of conceding a penalty. But then we were fortunate to get second and third chances from the rebounds.

"Having said that you have got to praise our players for following up, they were ready for anything to happen from the penalty.

"I thought there was very little between the two sides. But we stuck in there to grind out another result.

"That's the beauty of our play at the moment. We have all 16 players prepared to throw their bodies in there to defend at times and that's why we haven't conceded a goal for such a long time."